Illinois schools lower proficiency standards to address high delinquency rates

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTVO) — Illinois students returning to school this year will be evaluated under a new testing system, which lowers proficiency standards and is aimed at addressing high delinquency rates.

The new testing system, which has been in development for over a year, will lower what counts as ‘proficient’ in the classroom and cover standardized testing from grades three through 12.

Education officials noted that Illinois previously had some of the most rigorous proficiency standards in the country, which led to poor performance on the annual ‘Illinois Report Card.’

Officials hope that the new system will better evaluate students and more accurately assess their performance across the state.

State Supt. of Education, Tony Sanders said changes are expected to provide a more accurate reflection of student abilities and help address the issues highlighted by the previous system’s standards.

“As currently designed, our proficiency rates do not reflect the reality of student progress. They’re misaligned with what it actually means to succeed in college and career,” Sanders told the Chicago Sun-Times. “Students are being denied opportunities for acceleration, misidentified as needing intervention or believing that they’re not ready to go into college.”

Officials want scores for English language and math proficiency to be lowered, but science proficiency benchmarks to be raised.

Sanders said the current scoring method discourages high school students by allowing them to believe they are not ready for college.